Building on the foundation of previous editions, this anthology provides an updated, highly accessible introduction to the most salient contemporary issues in the study of gangs. This book emphasizes defining and understanding gangs, their prevalence, structures, and behaviors, and society's responses to them. With entries drawn primarily from professional books and journals written by today's leading gang scholars, The Modern Gang Reader assembles some of the most influential and insightful contemporary research available. Topics explored in the new edition include: defining gangs; joining and leaving gangs; the variability of gang structure and behavior; gang proliferation and migration; the extent of the current gang problem; race and gender issues; the relationship between gangs, violence, and drugs; and various programmatic and policy responses to gangs, including prevention, intervention, and suppression efforts. Thought-provoking introductions to each article guide the student by identifying and explaining central issues, key concepts, and relationships among topics. This provides internal cohesiveness and structure to the selections.
Consensus is not a hallmark of gang literature, and The Modern Gang Reader exposes students to the array of dissenting points of view that represent the numerous ongoing controversies over the nature of gangs.